The present invention generally relates to a storage rack unit and more specifically is directed toward a wire storage rack unit which can be mounted into a cabinet or any flat planar surface for holding the lids of cooking pots, pans and skillets.
Most cooks have accumulated a collection of covered cookware that range over many sizes of pots and pans and containers with lids. Even those persons who do not consider themselves as real cooks have an assortment of lids for the various containers in which they cook food, both on top of a stove, in a microwave and in an oven. Thus almost all kitchens contain significant numbers of pots, pans and other cooking containers and lids for same. The lids must be stored when they are not in use generally stacked one upon the other.
Where and how these cooking container lids are stored may vary substantially from kitchen to kitchen. In some instances, pots and cooking containers are stacked in a nested fashion with the largest diameter pot on the bottom and successively smaller pots on top. While this might be a relatively efficient way to store pots, pans and other cooking vessels such as casseroles, the lids and covers usually cannot be stored effectively in a nested stack. Most kitchens which use this nesting stack storage method for pots also have a disorganized pile of lids and covers. The cook then must rummage through the pile to locate the correct lid for the container he or she wants to use and move stacks of containers. In a home kitchen this exercise is very frustrating and can be quite chaotic when people and children gather in the kitchen during cooking of the meal.
Some cooks simply cover their pots and pans with the lids and store them side-by-side on cabinet shelves. Although this method allows the cook to locate the correct lid quickly, it requires significantly more storage space than stacking or nesting the containers.
The present inventive wire storage rack device is useful for holding the lids of pots, pans, skillets and containers for easy access to same. In the prior art, shaped wire stands have been used to provide open storage for related use utensils lids and other similar items.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,088 issued Jul. 18, 1950 is directed toward a folding dish drying rack formed from round wire stock which has a protective coating of rubber or synthetic resin. A plurality of elements are pivotally supported between an adjacent pair of longitudinal rods. Each element is mounted with a crank portion positioned outwardly and a lug portion positioned inwardly for attachment to and manipulation by a push bar. A push bar is slidably mounted in slots formed in a pair of mounting plates secured to the ends of a base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,284 issued Aug. 26, 1997 is directed toward a storage rack for holding and storing cooking container lids and like shaped objects. The rack has a base with a pair of feet allowing it to be placed in a vertical or horizontal position. A plurality of adjustable crosspieces forming rests or steps are positioned at desired locations along the edges of the bracket members to hold the container lids at a storage angle.
Other commonly used types of stands are a wire rack with legs and supports such as that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,190,065, 2,891,676, 3,013,670, 3,164,108, 4,592,471, 4,756,582 and 4,943,029.
The prior art, therefore, has failed to provide a wire storage rack or holder for cooking container lids and covers that may be easily mounted in a cabinet or on any flat surface by the purchaser or by a consumer to hold and store a number of containers and lids of varying and different dimensions. Consequently, there is a need for such a holding rack in the home kitchen to allow storage areas to be organized effectively and allow easy access to the correct lid for specific cooking containers.
Accordingly, the novel wire storage rack unit has been developed to hold pot, pan, and skillet lids which resolves the problems of counter and cabinet space, cluttered storage, mislaid lids, matching lids to containers, hereby allowing lids to be consolidated and hidden from sight in a cabinet or enclosed area.
The present invention is directed toward an adjustable plastic coated wire lid storage unit comprising a wire rack which can be mounted on any planar surface. The wire rack has side posts provided with a threaded end and an upper offset end. An inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped cross piece with a curved base connects the side posts below the upper offset end. The cross piece has legs which are secured to the respective side post and extend transversely outward therefrom with a leg section adjacent to the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped portion forming a curved recess to seat the edge of a lid. The xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped cross piece is curved backward toward the side posts to securely hold a lid placed therein in place.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire storage rack for cooking container covers and lids which can be easily mounted by the purchaser or consumer to a base, such as a shelf or planar platform to accommodate a specific collection of cooking containers lids with the minimum need of tools, fasteners or adhesives.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wire storage rack for cooking container lids that can be sized and/or spaced to hold all the lids for a selected set or brand of cookware as well as providing a contained area for the pots, pans, skillets, and cooking containers.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a wire storage rack which can be easily mounted to a flat surface with a minimum of instructions and general lack of mechanical skill by the consumer.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wire storage rack which may be easily and inexpensively fabricated from round; wire stock or other suitable materials having strength and durability.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a wire storage rack which is coated to protect the cooking ware and allow the,e rack to be easily cleaned.
In the accompanying drawings, there is shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other objectives, novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.